Lithuania
'Basics' Lithuania has three physical GSM network operators : *'Omnitel' *'Tele2' *'Bitė' Additionally LRTC operates a hybrid WIMAX and 4G/LTE network under the Mezon '''brand. '''Frequencies All three GSM networks cover the country in 2G on 900 and 1800 Mhz. 3G is covered by Tele2 (74,2 % on -95 dBm) and Onmitel (97,3% on -95 dBm) on 2100 Mhz. Bitė (68,0% on -95 dBm) is covered on 900 and 2100 Mhz. 4G/LTE has started on Tele2 and Omnitel on 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz and covers 65% or 80% of population in 2015 already. Bite started in 2015 and covers 46% on the same frequencies. Coverage Generally, there is a good 3G coverage across the country. You can find actual and detailed information about coverage (GSM, UMTS and LTE) of all network operators here (except LRTC). It includes a map of all operators (you have to change layers) with expected GSM, UMTS and LTE coverage calculations based on measurements from an independent auditor Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania (RRT). Also RRT have created a tool (matavimai.rrt.lt) to evaluate mobile internet access points speeds from all operators for 3G/LTE/WiMAX connection in various locations across Lithuania. It is done by a special travelling car with internet modems for all operators. You can see it here. There is also an international website sensorly.com which aggregates users (Sensorly crowd) mobile connectivity data. You can check its collected coverage information coverage here. It is somewhat similar to aforementioned RRT's matavimai.rrt.lt but only coverage information is available and it is not such detailed (bars vs definitive RRSI), populated and recent. Additional info The three network operators sell their prepaid lines under different names: Pildyk, Labas and Ežys with rates, which are amongst the lowest in all of Europe. Prepaid SIM cards are available in the brand stores of the network providers, at the petrol stations, supermarkets, coffee shops, kiosks, news-stands and other agencies where you find top-up vouchers too. No ID is needed for purchase. At the beginning of 2015 Lithuania adopted the Euro, so all prices are in EUR now. Additional offers There is also another mobile internet provider LRTC which uses WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) and 4G/LTE technology marketed under the brand name Mezon. In July 2014 telecommunications startup Widerfi introduced Local Breakout (LBO) technology, meaning people coming to Lithuania can still use their home operators SIM card for voice and calls and switch only for data. 'Ežys' ('''by Omnitel) Omnitel, owned by the Swedish TeliaSonera Group has the best overall coverage (97,3% on -95 dBm) in 3G: Omnitel Coverage Map. 4G/LTE has started and covers 80% of population in 2015, and is now available on prepaid without surcharge. Their prepaid brand is called "Ežys" ("hedgehog"). 'Availability ' The Ežys SIM is available for around 1.50 € with the same credit. You can buy it in Omnitel stores (list) and at Iki, Rimi, Maxima supermarkets, at the kiosks, coffee shops and lots of other outlets where you can buy top-up vouchers too. All Ežys SIM cards are double-cut sized now (standard and micro) '''Activation and validity When you purchase new Ežys SIM card, you don't know your mobile number. This is acquired when you activate your SIM card. To activate your card, you should dial 1544. Listen to the voice menu, it will ask for a language (press 9 for English), then press "1" to activate the card and hear the mobile number acquired. It will say your mobile number to you. Get ready to write it down for future usage. Activation call is free. To check your balance, dial 1544 and press "2" in voice menu (0.03 € per request). You will hear your account balance. SIM card is valid for 100 days after its first usage. Then your card will be suspended (only incoming calls and SMS messages available) for 250 days maximum (grace period). After 250 days it will be blocked permanently without any chance to restore it. To extend, you should recharge your account. Each 1 € extends SIM card life for another 30 days. Roaming is disabled by default. To enable it, send +TRP command to number 1566 (price is 0.05 €). After getting a confirmation, you will be able to use your card outside of Lithuania (worldwide roaming service). Recharges You can recharge your account in different ways: * by "multiple top-up card": You can find a plastic card with special barcode in each new Ežys package. With this card you can top-up your account at supermarkets, kiosks and gas stations. If you wish to top-up your account, give your top-up card and the required amount of money (or your credit card) to the cashier. The cashier will scan the barcode and your account will be topped-up instantly. You will be notified by SMS. The minimum top-up amount is 1 €. * by top-up vouchers: you can buy a top-up voucher in some kiosks, supermarkets and Omnitel branded shops. Dial 1544 and follow the voice menu instructions to redeem the voucher. Minimal amount to pay is 2 €. * by credit card online. Ežys is the only Lithuanian operator, that allows direct online recharge using credit card. You can recharge online here. 'Data feature packages' Default rate is 0.26 € for 10 MB. Ežys offers the following monthly packages: There is one weekly '''package: * 0.69 €: 300 MB for 7 days. Activation code is +NARSYK SAVAITE Activation by texting chosen package code to 1566. This SMS costs 0.05 €. These packages will automatically renew, if there is credit. To stop, text 'NARSYK' to 1566 (for 0.05 €). To avoid the SMS charges you can use the "Mano Ežys" app (Android app) for smartphones or complete those tasks online instead. Overuse or out of bundle use is charged at the default rate. These add-ons for extra data can be added to the monthly packages shown above: * 1 GB: 1.59 €, activation: +AKC 1 BENDRAUK * 2 GB: 2.89 €, activation: +AKC 2 BENDRAUK '''Technical settings *APN: omnitel 'Pildyk ('by''' Tele2) Tele2 by the Swedish Tele2 group has average coverage in 3G (74,2 % on -95 dBm signal strength) Tele2 coverage map. 4G covers 95% of the population in 2016 and has been opened for prepaid. Their prepaid brand is called "Pildyk". '''Availability and start-up A new SIM card is sold for around 2 € in Tele2 stores (list)and small stores all over the country like Maxima, Iki or Rimi stores. They contain the same amount. Be careful, because checking the balance by *245# and booking packages costs 0.04 €! But it's also possible to do it for free by their smartphone app (Android App) or on the Internet (mano.pildyk.lt). Pildyk users can make calls for 100 days and receive calls for 180 days after the last top-up. If your account remains at 0, you will be given 80 days until the SIM expires. Recharges To add credit to your account, you can buy top-up cards for 3 or 5 € or electronic top-up for 2, 3, 5, 10 or 15 € at Tele2 outlets, Perlas lottery stores, press kiosks, some supermarkets and service stations. To add funds from abroad, you can use ding.comwith an internatl. credit card. 'Data feature packages' They offer different plans, but this doesn't make a difference for data. So you can stay on their standard plan and add one of these data packages: *1 day, 1 GB, 0.50 €, Code: N1 *7 days, 1 GB, 1 €, Code: N7 *30 days, 1 GB, 2.03 €, Code: N30 *30 days, 3 GB, 5.21 €, Code: N3GB * 30 days, 5 GB, 7.00 €, Code: N5GB * weekends and nights: 30 nights, unlimited, 2.50 €, Code: LAISVALAIKIS Send the code on SMS to 1556 (for 0.05 €) to activate your data package. These will not be renewed automatically and out of bundle use is charged by the default rate. Weekend and night use is every night 11pm to 5am and all day long on weekends. Technical settings *APN: internet.tele2.lt 'Labas ('by''' Bitė) Bitė has the lowest (68,0% on -95 dBm signal strength) coverage on 3G in Lithuania. Very similar to Tele2 (74,2 % on -95 dBm signal strength). Bitė's Coverage Map. They started 4G/LTE in 2015 on 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz and available on prepaid on some tariffs in a limited area. The prepaid line is called "Labas" ("Good"). '''Availability The prepaid SIM card can be bought at Bitė stores (list) and many more outlets like Rimi, Iki, Norma, Maxima and others where recharge vouchers can be found too for 1 € or more with the same credit on. New packages come with triple-cut SIM cards (normal, micro and nano sizes), no need to cut. Labas is the most foreigner-unfriendly provider as there is no manual, website, dashboard or system messages in any languages except Lithuanian. Recharging your account from outside of Lithuania is impossible. Roaming is active by default, you do not need to activate it. Recharges You should buy Labas top-up vouchers in kiosks, supermarkets and BITE branded cellphone shops. Minimal amount to pay is 2 €. The voucher contains two codes (serial number and activation code) which should be dialed or texted in order to recharge your account. Also you may try ATMs in Lithuania without any service fee, but this hardly works with foreign bank cards. Remember, that recharging outside Lithuania is impossible. There is no way to add credits outside of Lithuania as Labas doesn't accept neither credit cards nor PayPal. The only way to add some credits remotely is to ask someone in Lithuania to buy a voucher for you. "Mano Labas" dashboard contains some "papildyk" (recharge) options, but they all require verified Lithuanian internet banking account (only few banks supported), this is not a payment gateway, as you can't use it with your credit card. 'Data feature packages' These packages on 3G and 4G/LTE can be booked: *PARA (DAY) gives 'unlimited' (FUP: 5 GB, then throttled to 256 kbps) data for 24 hours at 0.58 € *SAVAITE DAUGIAU (WEEK PLUS) gives 1.5 GB valid for 7 days at 1.59 € *MENUO (MONTH) gives 1 GB, costs 2.45 € * MENUO DAUGIAU (MONTH PLUS) gives 2.5 GB, costs 4.99 €, unused data will roll over to next month * MENUO STIRPRIAU (STRONGER MONTH) gives 6 GB, cost 8.99 €, unused data will roll over to next month * MENUO BERIBIS (UNLIMITED MONTH) gives "unlimited" data (FUP 30 GB, then throttled to 256 kbps) for 14.99 € Once you have a Labas SIM card you just need send an SMS to 1500 to activate your data, this SMS will cost 0.05 €. The SMS should contain one of the words: PARA, SDAUGIAU, MENUO, MDAUGIAU, MSTIRPRIAU or MBERIBIS. If you want to cancel your internet plan, you have to send SMS message containing "INTERNETAS-" to 1500 (for 0.04 €). You won't lose the current data packages you have booked, they just won't be renewed. You can also try to use 1550 (free) instead of 1500 (0.04 €). It might work. Also you can do everything on the self-service website mano.labas.lt for free. These social media add-on for 30 days is offered: free unlimited Facebook (no VoIP) and Viber: 0.49 €, activation: 'TINKLAINIS' to 1500, to unsubscribe the same word followed by a dash. Many packages are discounted, if you choose a plan for calls and texts. Technical Settings *APN: wap.biteplius.lt 'Mezon '(by LRTC, Telecentras) The state-owned Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre (LRTC), also known as Telecentras provides telecoms services under the Mezon brand, It commercially launched of 4G/LTE services in the towns and cities of Klaipeda, Taurage, Telsiai, Utena, Alytus and Anyksciai in 2015 and Vilnius in 2016 using 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz.. Be aware: Mezon uses mainly WiMAX, that is not a GSM-based technology. Your own phone, router or modem will NOT work with it. You need to buy a new device like their USB modem which can hardly be used anywhere else. They slowly migrate customers to 4G/LTE now. With Mezon you can get fast (up to 10 Mbit/s download speed) and really unlimited (without bandwidth reduction) mobile internet in the cities and towns: coverage. You can find almost all necessary information in the website mezon.lt and selecting "EN" from "LT" in the language selection box. Data on prepaid cost 0.006 € per MB (or 5.79 € for 1 GB). There are no data packages. The package for prepaid (with USB modem) costs 39 € and has 5.79 € credit in it and is available here (store map). The speed is up to 10 Mb/s download. Recharge vouchers of €3 to €30 are sold at many service stations, newsstands and banks. All other plans of them are long-lasting contracts.Category:Europe Widerfi Category:Country Widerfi previously called Cheap Data Communications offers "unlimited" mobile internet for travelers visiting Lithuania. It works with your home SIM card using "Local Breakout technology" (LBO - see ARP in the Europe section). Local Breakout Technology By allowing LBO from summer 2014, the EU likes to improve competition. Here you can still use your old home SIM and its number for calls and texts, while switching to another operator for data services. This gives the advantage that you are still available on your old mobile number and you don't need to buy a 2nd SIM card. So LBO can be a compromise between EU/international roaming and buying a local SIM, as it's cheaper than roaming but more expensive than a local SIM card. 'Setup instructions ' Mobile device APN settings must be changed in order to use this service once in Lithuania: # manually set mobile network to 'bite' # set your APN to 'euinternet' # turn on mobile data and data roaming More detailed setup instruction can be found here. Widerfi uses the Bite network (see Bite above). 'Data plans ' * 1 day: 5 € * 3 days: 8 € * 7 days: 12 € Users can get full 3G speed. 200 MB per day are offered at full speed. Once limit is reached, fair usage policies applies and bandwidth capacity is reduced. * More info: http://widerfi.com